The Observer
by monsterintheballroom
Summary: Sequel to "Insomnia" . Republish. Minor changes. Femslash. Cora follows Isobel and Elsie. She resist them again?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

 **Due to the increased demand** **via tumblr and pm** **lately , am I going to republish the sequels ( I must be** ** _mad_** **). Made some minor changes.  
**

 **PLEASE review! You can´t imagine how motivating a single review is, especially when you constantly struggle and often think that your writing sucks, like I do.  
**

 **And let me assure you, it takes longer to read this fic than writing one or two words in the comment box that is right below the fic !**

 **Thank You!**

* * *

 _2 weeks later_

The Crawleys are in London for Rose´ debut. Cora and Elsie just went through the arrangements for the guests who are arriving on the next day.  
"Good, I´m glad that everything is arranged. I do hope that you are enjoying your free afternoon, Mrs Hughes, and see something of London while you are here." Cora tries to sound laid- back but since that night a couple of weeks, she finds it difficult to be alone with them because every time Cora fears that they might mention what happened not a long time ago and she doesn´t know how to deal with this, at least not yet.  
"Yes, Milday. I´m going to meet Mrs Crawley later. We are going to visit the exhibition at the National Gallery."  
"Mrs Crawley is here? I had no idea." Elsie´s comment pricks Cora´s ears.  
"Yes, Milady, she arrived yesterday. She is staying at the Grand Hotel."  
"The Grand Hotel?" Cora is surprised that Isobel is staying in such an exclusive hotel.  
"Well, Isobel likes to treat herself once in a while." Elsie has used Isobel´s first name on purpose, because she wants to see if Cora reacts in any way. Both women have noticed that the way how Cora looks at them has changed a bit, especially when Isobel is at Downton and Elsie happens to be upstairs as well and Elsie often finds a reason to be upstairs when Isobel is around. They have of course spoken about what happened but Cora has never mentioned it. She had more than one chance to speak with them or separately about this incident but she never did.  
And indeed has the use of Isobel´s first name caused a little reaction. Elsie has seen a little jitter in Cora´s eyes. "Well, send my regards to Mrs Crawley then, Mrs Hughes, and I wish you a pleasant afternoon." Elsie can feel that Cora is looking after her when she walks to the door.  
 _"Oh, we will have a pleasant afternoon and you know it,"_ Elsie thinks and smiles when she´s closing the door behind her.

Cora hardly speaks during lunch and stares absent minded on her plate. Luckily is Rose speaking the whole time about her big day and Cora just has to nod occasionally.  
Her thoughts swirl around the brief conversation with Elsie. No matter how hard she tries to push them aside, pictures of the National Gallery and the Grand Hotel keep popping up.  
 _"Why is this bothering me?"_ Cora asks herself. _"I´m sure they have met since that night. So, why can´t I think about nothing else?"_  
 _"Because now you know for sure. You know that they will meet today and that IT will happen today again,"_ a little voice whispers in her head. _"That makes all the difference. You know what that means."_  
Cora shakes her head inwardly, silencing the voice. She knows very well what that means but she doesn´t want to hear it, because once it´s been vocalised, it will hang over her like a dark cloud.  
"Cora?"  
She looks up, just noticing that Robert has said something. "I´m sorry, Robert. I was miles away. What did you say?"  
"I said, that I´m going to the club right after lunch and wanted to know if you have any plans for this afternoon."  
"I haven´t really thought about it," Cora replies. _"Yes, you have."_  
And with this Robert officially ends the meal.

Cora doesn´t really know what do to with herself. She tried to read a magazine, rearranged the flowers but nothing could really distract her mind. She walks into the hall and finds Carson, who is making a list of all the presents which already arrived for Rose.  
"Carson, do you know if Mrs Hughes has already left?" Cora asks as casually as possible.  
"Yes, Milady. She left about thirty minutes ago."  
"Thirty minutes," Cora mumbles. _"You can still catch her."_  
"Can I be of any help, Milday?"  
"No, thank you, Carson. Just... I´ll be out for the afternoon and back before dinner." Cora hastily puts her coat on, not waiting for Carson to help her, gets her hat and handbag and leaves a rather bewildered Carson behind.

It´s only a short walk to the National Gallery and Cora knows it by heart because she often spends the afternoons there or in other museums when Robert is at the club. Cora loves to visit museums and galleries. Stroll around the rooms and looking at paintings or artefacts that come from exotic countries. It sometimes hurts her that people see only the American in her, who doesn´t seem to have a cultured bone in her body, even Mary is doing this from time to time.

Cora has reached the National Gallery and looks around the entrance hall but can´t find them. She buys a ticket and a catalogue and enters the exhibition. Cora stands next to the door and scans the room. She finally finds Isobel and Elsie standing together on the other end of the room. Isobel points at something on the painting and Elsie reads something to her. Cora wants to make a step forward but hesitates at the last moment.  
 _"What am I doing here? This isn´t right. No, that was a bad idea to come here,"_ Cora thinks. And she wants to leave but her feet seemed to be glued to the ground and her eyes to that couple in front of her. Elsie has made a comment and Isobel laughs, putting her hand on Elsie´s arm, smiling at her. Cora has seen this look before. They move to the next picture. Cora is still standing there. Feeling helpless, because just like weeks ago, she can´t take her eyes off them.  
She sits down on the bench next to the door. The room is crowded enough that visitors are once in a while blocking her view, so that Isobel and Elsie will hopefully not notice that they are being observed, but Cora doubts that they pay attention to anything else than to each other.  
This time it´s Elsie who is raising her interest. She is wearing a blue blouse. It´s a bit tighter than the blouses she is normally wearing. It clings to her curves because she isn´t wearing a corset, just like Isobel. Elsie turns half to Isobel and Cora sees that Elsie is even showing a hint of cleavage. Something that doesn´t go unnoticed by Isobel either. Cora smiles when she sees Isobel´s look. An ordinary observer would just see two (past) middle- aged women, who are having a nice day and enjoy each others company. But Cora isn´t an ordinary observer. She knows so much more about this couple. Cora can see behind this facade. She knows that their hands are not brushing by accident. She can nearly feel the sparks when they look at each other. She has noticed that Isobel´s hand rests longer on Elsie´s back than necessary when she leans over and reads something in the catalogue that Elsie is holding.  
 _"She wants you, Elsie. I know it and I want both of you."_ Cora jumps up by this sudden thought. Her heart is hammering in her chest. She pretends to look at one of the paintings, hoping that no one has noticed this little outburst.  
 _"Where did that come from?"_  
Cora tries to put her mind at rest but the revelation, she only made moments ago, is still echoing in her head.  
 _"Everything IS alright. It was just a slip of the tongue. Nothing more,"_ Cora tries to calm herself down, trying desperately to silence the little voice in her head that keeps whispering. But was really everything alright like Cora wants to believe? Has she really never thought about Isobel and Elsie when she was with Robert? And how about last week when she locked herself in while having a bath? Imagining that it was Isobel´s hand and not her own that was touching her.  
"Excuse me, Madam, you are blocking the view." An older gentleman smiles at Cora.  
"I... I beg your pardon, Sir. I was just so fascinated by this painting that I wanted to have a closer look." Cora is forcing herself to smile and steps out of his way.  
She looks back at the spot where Isobel and Elsie have been standing, but they are gone. Cora looks around the room, a faint feeling of panic is rising inside her. She finds them wandering around in the other room.  
Again she follows them and lets the opportunity pass to turn around and leave things be. Cora is hiding behind a group that is listening to the explanations of a guide. Her eyes follow them strolling around the room. Once in a while they stop and look at a painting before they move on. This goes on for quite a while until they suddenly stop in the middle of the room. Cora fears that they have noticed her and steps behind a younger woman, who is standing in front of her, watching them now from over the woman´s shoulder. Elsie and Isobel just stand there. Looking at each other. Smiling. Suddenly Isobel takes Elsie´s head and starts kissing her. Cora gasps. Elsie is as surprised as Cora but replies Isobel´s kiss. Cora looks around her but no one pays attention to that kissing couple. In fact, they all walk around them as if something like this happens all the time in a museum. They are flushed and out of breath when they end the kiss. They look at each other and then, they slowly turn their heads into Cora´s direction. The catalogue, Cora was holding, falls on the floor, dragging her back into reality. She quickly picks it up and when she looks again at the spot where Isobel and Elsie have been kissing, she sees nothing. Isobel and Elsie are still walking through the room and still haven´t notice Cora´s presence.  
"I have to get out of here," Cora mumbles. She´s rushing to the entrance, picks up her coat and leaves.

She stands for a moment outside the gallery and takes a few deep breaths. "What is happening with me?", she asks desperately. She walks down the stairs and just walks, aimlessly and not paying attention to the other pedestrians. Her mind is in a turmoil. Pictures of what happened between the three of them weeks ago pop up and mingle with what she´s just imagined. Cora stops right in the middle of the pavement. A single tear runs down her cheek. She angrily wipes it away, looks up and is shocked when she realise where she is. She is closing her eyes for a brief moment, takes a deep breath and opens them again, hoping that her mind was playing a trick on her again. But not this time. Cora can´t believe that she´s standing in front of Isobel´s hotel.  
She looks around and finds a little cafe right opposite of the hotel. It´s actually against her principle but she just needs a drink and at the moment she doesn´t really care if this is ladylike or not. She sits down at a table that stands near to the huge windows, that are facing the busy street and orders tea and a small sherry. _"Having the reputation of being an uncultured American is at least good for something,"_ she thinks sarcastically and empties the sherry with one big gulp.  
 _"You know why you here?"_ that voice in her head wants to know.  
 _"I do,"_ Cora sighs.  
 _"Then why don´t you admit it?"_  
 _"Because it would change everything. I would feel as if I betray Robert."_  
 _"Even when you know that they can give you something Robert can´t?"_  
 _"Yes, even then,"_ Cora replies. She is feeling a bit better now. The sherry has helped her to clear her mind and calm her nerves.  
Cora finds a bank note in her handbag and wants to pay, when Isobel and Elsie come around the corner. Elsie has linked her arm with Isobel´s, who is carrying a little paper bag. Cora recognise the logo of a local bakery that is famous for their delicious praline.  
 _"They will have tea with it. No, champagne,"_ Cora corrects herself. _"AFTERWARDS,"_ she adds embittered.

Again Isobel´s hand rests longer on Elsie´s back than necessary when they enter the hotel. They disappear into the hotel and out of Cora´s sight. Cora looks up at the windows over the entrance. She doesn´t know which ones belong to Isobel´s room but she knows very well what will happen next. Hats will be taken off and coats will be thrown casually over a chair. Deep looks and smiles will be exchanged before passion takes over. Greedy lips will finally meet. Impatient fingers will unbutton blouses. A button comes loose and rolls under the chair. A brief pause and giggles follow before they continue. The first blouse will land on the floor. Tongues will fight little duels while they slowly move to the bed. The second blouse will fly on to the floor before they lay down together. Looking at each other, whispering sweet words. Lips will kiss their way down to breasts, that are covered with fine silk. Skirts will be pushed up, exposing smooth and white skin. Hands will find aroused center, which have been craving for this touch since they entered the room.

Cora fumbles on the collar of her blouse. She feels hot and restless. She looks around her but no one is paying attention to her. No one has read her thoughts, although they seem to be written all over her face.  
 _"This has to stop. It can´t go on like this. Why am I torturing myself like this? I should leave. NOW."_ Cora puts the bank note, she was still holding, on the table, grabs her coat and leaves the cafe as quick as possible she can without raising any attention.

Minutes later the door of suite 207 opens and Cora steps in. **  
**

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 **A/N:**

 **By now I tempted to write another chapter but I´m not sure if this a good thing :-/**


	2. Chapter 2

Isobel opens a bottle of champagne with a muted plopp, pours two glasses and hands one to Elsie.  
"To London and this afternoon." They toast and kiss.  
"Why can´t we do something like this more often," Elsie sighs.  
"We could book a room at the Downton Inn the next time."  
"And wear big hats with black veils and oversized coats when we sneak in." Both laugh.  
Isobel takes their glasses, puts them back on the tray and wraps her arms loosely around Elsie´s neck. "Or the next time I´m coming to dinner, I could sneak into your room afterwards and hide in the wardrobe."  
"And give me a heart attack when you jump out of it. That will be a very short night."  
Isobel plays with the buttons of Elsie´s blouse. "But luckily am I a nurse and I know exactly what do during an emergency. Do you want me to show you?" She begins to unbutton Elsie´s blouse and with every button, the level of arousal is rising a bit more.  
"Would it be helpful for the examination when I lay down?" Elsie´s lips brush against Isobel´s. Isobel grins and is pushing Elsie backwards to the bed.  
Isobel leans over Elsie. Her hand in Elsie´s blouse, her mouth kissing her décolleté up to her neck, where Isobel can feel her lover´s raised pulse on her lips. "My sweet May," she whispers, knowing only too well what kind of effect it has, when she´s using Elsie´s second name and she doesn´t has to wait long for a reaction. Elsie pulls her down into a passionate kiss, rolling Isobel on her back. They look at each other for a moment, Elsie´s thumb gently strokes Isobel´s cheek. The lines around their eyes might have become deeper during the last couple of years but the sparkle in their eyes hasn´t lost anything of its fire.  
"My Belle, I lo-" knock, knock Both women look at the door, back at each other and sigh annoyed.  
"Well, whoever this is, he better has a good excuse," Isobel mumbles while getting up.

"Cora?" Isobel is surprised to see her younger cousin. She looks at Elsie, who is equally surprised. Elsie has told Isobel about her little chat with Cora and about her reaction. And they thought that Cora will finally talk with them when they are back at Downton but they never expected her to show up at the hotel.  
Isobel steps aside wordlessly and lets Cora enter. Cora stands in front of Elsie and Isobel, who are waiting for an explanation, and takes a deep breath. She went through every word she wanted to say over and over again while she was waiting for Isobel to open the door but now her mind is blank and all the doubts, she buried earlier, try to resurface.  
Isobel and Elsie look at each other, they seem to know why Cora is here and just like two weeks ago, is Elsie the one, who makes the first move. "Are you really sure about this, Cora?" Elsie looks at Cora´s face for signs of disapprove, that she called her by her first name and for signs of doubts.  
But Cora answers without hesitation, glad that Elsie has built her this bridge. "Yes, I am sure, Elsie." A little smile appears on her lips when she´s addressing the woman, she knows for decades, for the first time with her name. She looks over at Isobel. "I know that I want this, Isobel. I know that I want to be with both of you." A moment of silence is passing by. Cora looks anxiously from Isobel to Elsie. She could understand if they want her to leave. Just because they wanted her two weeks ago, doesn´t mean that their offer still stands, especially after storming out of the room, leaving them behind with no explanation and letting every situation, where she could have explained her behaviour, pass.  
Finally Isobel makes a move towards her. "Come," is everything she says and Cora takes her hand.

Only moments later all three women climb on Isobel´s bed, wearing nothing but their underwear.  
Cora, who is kneeling between Isobel and Elsie, greedily answers Isobel´s hungry kisses, while Elsie opens her bra, slowly striping the straps over her shoulders, releasing her breasts from their prison. Cora leans against Elsie, offering herself to Isobel and Elsie. The housekeeper´s hands are travelling upwards over the inside of her thighs, slightly spreading them. Cora has closed her eyes, she can feel her arousal pooling between her legs with every inch Elsie´s hands are coming closer to their destination and with every swirl of Isobel´s tongue around her aroused bud. Everything feels so unreal to her but when Elsie is gently rubbing her sensitive nub through the by now damp fabric of her underpants, she knows that this is real and not one of her fantasies. She knows, that this what she wanted all the time and all her doubts are silenced once and for all. Cora opens her eyes again and slowly begins to rock against Elsie´s hand, cupping it with her own. "Please, Elsie," she moans.  
Elsie nibbles her earlobe. "Take it off," she whispers and Cora obeys. She sits down between her housekeeper´s legs and Isobel helps her to get rid off this bothering piece of fabric. Isobel still kneels in front of her lover and her cousin. Both are looking at her, watching her how she takes off her bra before she leans over Cora, kissing her again before she lets go and wanders down with her mouth over Cora´s flushed body.  
Cora gasps when she feels the raw surface of Isobel´s tongue swirling around her sensitive nub. Something she has never felt before. Cora opens her eyes and looks down at Isobel. "Please," she whispers and lets her head fall against Elsie´s shoulder again. Cora arches against Isobel´s mouth when her tongue runs over the edges of her inner folds, drawing little circles. She wants more and she gets more when Isobel dips her tongue into her warm and wet center. Slowly moving in and out. One of Elsie´s hands is sliding downwards over Cora´s flat belly to her arching hips. The fingers of her other hand are swirling around Cora´s hard nipple. Cora moans, her nipple seems to get harder with every touch. Cora´s hands are still entangled in Elsie´s hair, pulling it a bit when she feels that Isobel moves over her folds back to her nub. She can hear the sucking and biting. Isobel looks at Elsie, while her tongue is still busy and Elsie nods at her. She wants to take over.  
"Don´t stop," Cora complains when she no longer feels the presence Isobel´s tongue.  
"Don´t worry. We won´t let you suffer," Elsie says and kiss her neck. Cora´s moans in frustration when Elsie gently runs her middle finger over her outer folds, teasing her. Isobel moves next to Cora, kissing her. Cora moans in her mouth when Elsie´s finger finally slide between her swollen folds and slowly enters her. "More," Cora demands breathlessly and Elsie is more than willing to fulfil her order. Cora digs her heels into the mattress, pressing her hand on Elsie´s, forcing her deeper inside her.  
Elsie has problems to hold Cora, spasm are washing over her body. Cora rears up one last time, digging her fingers in Elsie´s thigh. A wave of ecstasy is washing over Cora, who is losing control of her body. Silent screams are leaving her body before she collapses against Elsie.  
Elsie gives her one last kiss on the shoulder before she lets her lay down.  
Isobel pulls the blanket over them and lays down in Elsie´s arms. The are looking at each other and mouth a little "I love you" at each other before they kiss.

After a while, Cora turns to the other women and finds them looking at her.  
"Are you alright, Cora?" Isobel asks a bit concerned, reaching out for her hand.  
"Yes. Yes, I am."  
"No regrets?" Elsie wants to know.  
"No, definitely not. I thought, I would have some but I don´t regret anything that just happened. I enjoyed every minute of it." Cora leans over, kissing both. "Thank you. Thank you for not sending me away. I know, I should have come to you and talk with you after that night but frankly, I was overextended with the whole situation. I was so confused after what nearly happened. I think, I can be honest with you and tell you, that I couldn´t think of anything else, about what could have been and how it would have felt. And then Elsie told me that you are here, Isobel, and I just had to come here. I didn´t mean to but the little voice inside me didn´t want to stop, not until I knocked at your door, Isobel. I´m sorry, that I´ve ruined your afternoon, I´m sure you two had other plans."  
Isobel is squeezing Cora´s hand encouraging. "Yes, we certainly didn´t expect this to happen but I can assure you, that didn´t ruin anything." Elsie agrees with Isobel and nods at Cora. "We were always hoping that you would speak with us about what happened because we can imagine that it must have been quite a shock for you."  
"Yes, I can´t deny that is was rather a surprise to see you both," Cora chuckles and adds pensive. "That night raised questions I didn´t even know I had and it took some time to find a way to deal with them."  
"And now you have found the right answers?"  
"Yes, I have." Cora smiles at them.  
"That is good," Isobel says and smiles at her. Cora can see that both are curious and would like to know more but Cora is glad that they don´t push her and maybe one day she´ll tell them more.  
"I think that calls for another toast. I´ll get the champagne." Isobel gets up.  
"And don´t forget the truffles. I´m looking forward to them since we bought them."  
Isobel looks down at her lover, while she´s closing her bathrobe. "That is what you were looking forward to?" Isobel bents down, fully aware that her robe opens up a bit. " I could swear it was something else."  
Elsie arches her eyebrow. "No, it is just the truffles," she teases her long-term lover and steals a kiss from her smiling lips before Isobel leaves the room.  
Cora, who was watching this little scene with amusement, shakes her head. "I can´t believe that I´ve never noticed anything when I see you two like this."  
"Oh, believe me, it took a lot of willpower in the beginning to keep a straight face when Isobel was at Downton. Especially when I didn´t know she was coming and I ran into her by accident."  
"Yes, but weren´t these brief encounters the most wonderful?" Elsie and Cora look at the door where Isobel stands with a full tablet "Don´t you think?" she adds and serves the champagne.  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Cora wants to know. Isobel takes off her robe and climbs back into bed under the blanket and cuddles up to Cora.  
"Lets just say as a housekeeper do you know certain places where you are undisturbed for a moment. And this all I´m going to say. You don´t need to know everything that is going on in your house," Elsie grins widely.  
Cora laughs. "Yes, obviously is there a lot going on I didn´t know about."  
Isobel is raising her glass. "Lets have a toast. To questions and found answers and to the changes they may bring."  
"You know, Cora," Elsie begins after she took a sip. She looks briefly at Isobel, who anticipates, what she wants to say and nods slightly, " what happened this afternoon, doesn´t have to end this afternoon."  
Cora turns to Elsie. "Really?"  
Elsie nods and smiles warmly at her employer before Cora leans forward for to a kiss. "Thank you, Elsie," she whispers and she turns to Isobel. "Thank you, Isobel." Kissing her,too.  
All three clink their glasses and take a sip.

"Elsie was right, you do like to spoil yourself from time to time. Renting a suite for just one night, champagne and handmade truffel." Cora helps herself to one Elsie offered her.  
"Please, don´t tell Violet that I´m staying in a four- star hotel. She would bring it up every time I open my mouth for the rest of her life." Isobel grins.  
"Of course not but I can tell Mama about what just happened?" Cora asks innocently.  
"That would even leave the old bat speechless." Silence and then Elsie realise what she just said. "Good Lord! I- I- I- I´m so sorry. I- I- I didn´t mean-"  
Isobel and Cora look at each other and burst out in laughter, which Elsie joins relieved.  
"Don´t worry, Elsie," Cora pads her knee, " I´m sure a lot of people have called her like that. Including me."  
"And me." Isobel plants a light kiss on Cora´s shoulder and smiles at her.  
Cora looks over her shoulder at her cousin. "Why am I not surprised to hear this?"  
Isobel shrugs her shoulders. "I don´t know." She grins before she leans forward and begins gently kissing the soft lips of the younger woman.  
The next hour is full of kisses, tenderness and laughter until Cora leaves.

Cora steps onto the street and turns up the collar of her coat against the chilly wind. Elsie´s words still echo in her head. She was secretly hoping, that this afternoon would be the beginning of something, something she can´t define yet but that will definitely enrich her life. Cora looks up at the facade of the hotel one last time before she walks back home with a faint smile playing about her lips.

The End

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 **A/N**

 **Well, what do you think? I´m not really sure if this was a good idea to add another chapter. I think, I should have left everything to your own imagination about what happened at the hotel instead of torturing you with this :-/**

 **Please review. Takes less time than reading (not to mention writing) this chapter, promised :-)**


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